Barrier release



June 29, 1943. c. H. McMlLLAN 2,323,150

BARRIER RELEASE Filed Oct. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 cyaan/immun E a5/M;

l' June 29, 1943. 5

C. H. MOMILLAN BARRIER RELEASE Filed 061'.. l16, 1940 2. Sheets-Sheet -2 Patente-d June 29, 1943 v'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE faazaiso I I -BARRIER RELEASE Cullum n. McMillan, san saba, frei. Application october 1s, 1940, serial No. 361,452

7 claims. (o1. 29245)Y u It is essential in such gates novel barrier latch having double acting release means operative under distant control.

Another object is to provide a barrierA latch having electro-magnetic release means associated with both the boltvand keeper whereby each is independently and simultaneously operated in a manner to eiect positive disengaging movement of each with respect `-to the. other.

Still another object is toprovide in a latch, release means operative to disengage the bolt from Vits keeper and at the'same time to free the keeper from the bolt by positive movement of the keeper. Y y

It isV to be understood that the embodiment herein disclosed constitutes the best means I have thus far devised for reducing the invention to practice, and that within its scope as claimed the structural details and arrangement of parts may be varied as desired. Y

In the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters designate` like throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of astarting-gate l barrier in closed and latched position, c

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof,Y with a portion of the keeper assembly brokenaway for interior illustration. Y Y

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, with the latohed and partly open position. Y v l Figure 4 is a vertical section taken onjthe line 4 4 of Figure 2. I

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3,

lbarrier in unparts Figure 6 is a perspective-view 4of` the llatch keeper assembly.

In the illustrated embodiment, the invention is A:

Outer edgeA portions of` the webs are united by a` brace web IB integral therewith.

The ears I5 are apertured as at I1 in vertical end of the lever has pivotal connection with a l clevis 23 on the lower end of a plunger 24 operative Vin a solenoid 25 that is suitably xed to the barrier. When the solenoid is energized,

the plunger is drawn upwardly and rocks the lactuator lever 20 to depress its outer end and thus pull the latch rbolt I8 downwardly out of engagement with the retainerears I5.

The opposite barrier also carries a support plate 26 similar to the plate I3 and horizontally aligned therewith. The plate 26 is likewise provided with vertically spaced, parallell webs 21 which extend laterally outward from the plate with portions of theirouter edges connected by a brace web 28. The webs 21 provide a retainer housing for the assembly comprising the latch keeper.

The keeper itself consists of a pair ofseparable jawflevers 29 and 30. 'Ihe inner and longer lever 29v is fulcrumed adjacent its inner en d to rock horizontally between the Webs 21 on a pivot pin 3| ysecured thereto, and the shorter lever 30 is likewise fulcrumed adjacent its inner end also to rock between the webs21 on a pivot pin i 32 secured thereto. The outer ends'of the jaw levers project laterally beyond ythe edge of the The outer ends .of the webs 21 terminate in verticallyY registering nose` portions which project laterally beyond the edge of the barrier,`

and the fulcrum 32 of the shorter jaw lever '30 is disposed between these nose portions outwardly and-forwardly with-.respect tothe ful crurn 3| of the inner jaw. This arrangement bringsithe inner` end of the shorter jaw 30 to av point approximately registering with the ful- -crum of the longer jaw. In the space thus aff fordedin rear of theshorter jaw there is disposedv a pivoted detent. lever 34 Afulcrumed to* rock horizontally between the webs 21 on "awpin' 35 secured thereto. 'This detent lever Yis pivoted adjacent its outer end 36` which lis in camming The lever 20 has a pivot fulcrumengagement with the exterior rear edge portion of the longer jaw 29, rearwardly of its fulcrum 3I.

The detent lever 34, when longitudinally aligned with the shorter jaw as seen in Figures 2 and 6, functions to prevent separating movement of the jaw levers, and is engageable by secondary latch means comprising a vertically movable bolt 31 slidably received through a guide lug 38 on the plate 26 and through registering apertures 39 in the webs 21; the shank of the bolt passing behind the interior edge of the detent lever and forming a stop therefor. The bolt 31 has on its lower end a clevis 40 in pivotal connection with one end of a rock lever 4I. The rock lever is fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a pivot 42 bearing in a bracket 43 that depends from the plate 26.

The other end of the rock lever has pivotal connection with a clevis 44 on the lower end of a plunger 45 operative in a solenoid 4 6 carried by the barrier. gized the plunger is drawn upwardly and rocks the lever 4I to depress the bolt 31 and withdraw it from the path of movement of the detent lever, which is then free to be rocked on its fulcrum.

Elastic cables 41 are run from'anchor means, not shown, on the gate frame structure over sheaves 48 on the stall side frames to anchors 4.9on the respective support plates I3 and 26. When the barriers are moved to closed position the cables are stretched and placed under tension, so that, when the barrier latch is released, the contraction of the cables swings the barriers outwardly and apart in a quick opening movement. It is thus apparent that when the barriers are latched in closed'position they are biased toward opening movement.

The solenoids 25 and 46 are included in an electrical circuit, not shown, under the distant control of a starter, so that both are energized simultaneously when the circuit is closed. It will be understood that the sclenoids of all barriers in the starting gate assembly are included in the same operating circuit, whereby simultaneous opening of all barriers is assured.

In operation, when the barriers are in closed When the solenoidis ener and latched position as shown in Figures l and A2, the separable jaws of the keeper are closed against one another and provide a unit which is slidably received between the ears I5 of the webs I4 on the support plate of the bolt carrying barrier, with the shank of the bolt I8 passed through the ear apertures I1 and keeper recesses 33, all of which are in vertical alignment. Also, the secondary latch bolt 31 is engaged with the detent lever as shown in Figures 4 and 6 to lock the keeper jaws against separation. f

Upon energization of the solenoids 25 and 46 the latch bolts I8 and 31 are drawn down into full release position. Dropping of the bolt I8 acts independently of the secondary bolt 31 to free the closed jaws of the keeper and to permit the keeper to move out from between' the ears I5 as the barriers swing open under the .pull of the elastic cables 41. At the same time, dropping of the secondary latch bolt 31 leaves the detent lever 34 free toV be moved.

It is an important feature of the inventionthat the barriers are continuously urged to outward `and forward -open`ing movement by ,continuously urges the rear jaw 29 of the keeper against the shank of the latch I8, tending to rock the jaw on its fulcrum 3| to assume the position shown in Figure 3, while at the same time the outward pull of the latch bolt I8 under the influence of the cables forces it against the outer keeper jaw 30, tending to rock it on its fulcrum 32 to assume its open position as in Figure 3. Any rocking of the jaws is, however, prevented by the locked detent lever 34. Due to the difference in length of the jaw levers 29 and 30 and the offset relationship of their fulcrums, the force of the opening urge is compounded through the lever system, and is sufficiently great against the tip 36 of the detent lever to cause the detent to snap into release position as shown in Figure 3 immediately upon removal of the secondary bolt 31 from its stop position. As soon as the secondary bolt clears the detent, which occurs immediately following energization of the solenoid 46, the keeper jaws 29 and 30 are separated by action of the forces previously described, and mutual separating movement occurs between the open jaws and the shank of the latch bolt I6, permitting the barriers to swing open as in Figure 3.

It is evident, therefore, that the latch is doubly assured of release. If, by any chance, the bolt I8 should become stuck or its movement be retarded, the opening of the keeper jaws is sufficient to release the latch. On the other hand, should the jaw release secondary lbolt become jammed or movement of the levers be retarded, the dropping of the bolt I8 clear of the keeper is likewise sufcient to releasethe latch. Taken together, the positive mutual disengaging movement both of the keeper from the bolt I8 and of the bolt I8 from the keeper, greatly eXpedites the opening lof the barriers and eliminates the possibility of barriers at some stalls lagging behind the others when opening.

The detent lever 34 has an additional function in that it constitutes an actuator for returning the keeper jaws to closed position following a latch release. The free end of the lever projects beyond the adjacent ends of the webs 21 and constitutes a handle or finger piece 50 by which the lever may be rocked manually to cam the jaw levers into closed position.

Manual release of either latch bolt, or reengagement thereof, is eiected by rocking the respective actuator levers 28 and 4I. Normally, the solenoid plungers 24 and 45 overbalance their respective latch bolts I8 -and 31 and maintain same in raised position while the solenoids are not energized. f

I claim:

1. In a latch assembly, a movable bolt, a releasable keeper therefor, a. member supporting said bolt, a second member supporting the keeper, one of said members being movable relative to the other on release of the latch, actuator means on the bolt-carrying member operative to disengage the` bolt from the keeper to effect latch release, means on the keeper-carrying member operative to release the keeper from the bolt to effect latch release independently of movement of the bolt, and means simultaneously operating said bolt actuator means and said keeper release means whereby to insure release of the bolt and keeper.

2. In a latch, a retractable bolt, a releasable keeper therefor, said keeper comprising a pair of separable jaws normally engaged to receive Ythe boltslidably therebetween, means for actuating said bolt to disengage the keeper while the jaws are engaged, secondary latch means operatively engaging a jaw to retain same against separation, means operative to disengage said secondary latch means from the jaw, and means simultaneously operating said bolt actuating means and the secondary latch release means, whereby concurrent release of the bolt and keeper is effected.

3. In a latch mechanism for a pair of cooperable movable closure members which are urged to open position upon release of the latch mechanism, a latch bolt on one member, a keeper therefor on the other member adapted to engage said bolt, said keeper being responsive to movement of the member upon which it is mounted to be released, releasable detent means normally holding said keeper in operative relation to said bolt, actuator meanson the bolt-carrying member for withdrawing the bolt from the keeper, actuator means on the keeper-carrying member for releasing said detent means to permit boltdisengaging movement of the keeper, and means operating both said actuator means simultaneously whereby concurrent release of both bolt and keeper is effected to insure the simultaneous opening of the closure members.

4. In a latch, a retractable bolt, a releasable keeper therefor, said keeper comprising a pair of separable jaws normally engaged to receive the bolt therebetween, releasable means for normally holding said jaws against separation, means releasing said jaw holding means to permit separation of the jaws, and means operating simultaneously with said last-named means for withdrawing the bolt from the keeper whereby concurrent release of both bolt and keeper is eiected.

5. In a latch mechanism for a starting gate assembly having a pair of cooperable movable barrier members which are urged to open position upon release of the latch mechanism, a movable latch bolt carried by one barrier member, a releasable keeper carried by the other barrier member and engaged with the bolt when the barriers are closed, actuator means for said bolt for moving same to disengage the keeper, said keeper having a movable portion engageable with the bolt in a manner to be moved thereby during opening movement of the barrier members whereby to effect disengagement of said bolt and keeper without retraction of the bolt, a detent normally restraining the movable portion of the keeper against movement to bolt release position, actuator means for releasing said detent, and means operating simultaneously both said actuator means whereby release of the bolt and keeper is eiected to insure the simultaneous opening of the barrier members.

6. In a latch assembly, a movable bolt, a releasable keeper therefor, actuator means to disengage the bolt from the keeper to effect latch release, means to release the keeper-from the bolt, and means simultaneously operating said bolt actuator means andr said keeper release means whereby to insure latch release. i

'7. In a latch mechanism for a `pair of relatively movable members, a latch part carried by one of said members, a second latch part carried bythe other member and normally cooperating with said rst-named latch part to hold said members against relative movement, release means for each of said latch parts operable independently to release the latch mechanism and permit relative movement of sai members, and means operating simultaneousl both said release means.

CULLUM H. MCMILLAN. 

